Funding shortage causes WA low income drivers to lose IIDs

If you get convicted of a DUI in Washington State you will be required to have an ignition interlock device on any vehicle you drive.  The time frame varies depending on the number of prior times a driver has been required to have an IID.  But it can range from 1 year to 10 years.  The Washington State legislature created a program to allow low income drivers to get reduced rates on IIDs that are subsidized from other drivers paying for the ignition interlock license.  Unfortunately this may be coming to an end.

The funding has dried up unexpectedly due to the money for the program somehow getting funneled into another program for prison inmate treatment.  How it worked was if a driver was convicted of a first time DUI then they would be required to get an ignition interlock device.  They would have to apply for what is called an ignition interlock license in order to drive during that one year.  The license itself costs $20 a month to maintain.  That $20 went into a pot that was reserved for those drivers who could not afford the IID due to their financial situation.  

Because of the loss of these monies it is being reported that over 2000 drivers are going to lose their ability to maintain the ignition interlock license because they will not be able to afford the ignition interlock device.  At that time they will be faced with two options.  Either not drive or choose to drive in violation of the mandatory sentence.

Unfortunately this seems to be nothing more than politics.  It is a little surprising since DUI cases have been such a hot button issue for the past few years.  With many law makers crying about increasing the penalties and keeping drivers off the road following a DUI arrest.  Well these very law makers are the ones who screwed over the very people they are trying to protect by losing this money set aside for this program.  I guess it just shows you votes are more important to them than the actual issues they are "crying" about.

Here is the link to the news article where I saw this if you're interesting in reading.    

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About the author:  Matthew Leyba is a DUI lawyer in Seattle, WA.  His practice focuses on representing those charged with DUI and other related offenses.  He has been name one of Seattle's Best DUI Lawyers Rising Star multiple times by the Seattle Met Magazine.  He is also rated a 10/10 by Avvo.com.  If you need a DUI Lawyer in Seattle call Leyba Defense PLLC.